Fundamental
by rycbar15
Summary: (Sequel to Elemental TASM/Spidey Story) Six months have passed since Zaria's unforgettable sacrifice although it feels like days for most. Peter, the once 'friendly neighborhood spider' is now a quiet photographer only saving people out of duty. As Josh tries to find out who the new 'Shadow' vigilante is something is brewing in the streets of New York. And they aren't prepared.
1. Intro

( Welcome to the sequel to Elemental. Please check it out :) the cover was made by my wonderful boyfriend and this story is dedicated to him.)

" The Daily Bugle

October 22nd

Freak fire wrecks homes of dozens!

All inhabitants of The Smith apartment complex were stunned last night after an uncontrollable and inexplainable fire broke out. There were no casualties or minor injuries sustained however as every inhabitant asleep in the building miraculously woke up on the street outside, one of the owners of the top floor flat (Christina Lakely) was awake during the ordeal and explained to us what happened for those during those few minutes.

"One second I was putting sugar into my cup of coffee and within the blink of an eye I was outside! There were a dozen of us awake, disoriented and confused with people waking up all around us."

What do you think happened to the people of The Smith Apartment complex? Why can the police still not explain to us how this strange fire started? Is there a new superhero taken to the streets? If you have any information please contact the Daily Bugle at- "

That's how it began. With that one small newspaper article, a mystery ensued that captivated the attention of one could be superhero. Josh couldn't help but become totally engrossed in the series of newspapers creating conspiracies and panic in the large city around him. He rested his chin in his hand with his arm leaning on the table and rubbed his eyes with his other hand. With it being just after midnight and the day being filled with its own troubles, Josh knew he couldn't take much more before giving in to inevitable sleep. Blinking quickly to keep himself awake he picked up the scrapbook filled with newspaper cuttings and glanced over the headlines.

" October 25th

Victims of several muggings have stolen goods returned magically "

" October 28

Is there someone in the shadows "

And possibly Josh's favorite,

" October 30

Halloween party disaster as shadow 'ghost' terrifies attendees "

As the articles went on they started to call the person behind it The Shadow. If this person isn't superpowered the name still suits since the only way they could get away with it is if they they stuck to the shadows through all the recorded sightings.

Josh rubs his eyes for the hundredth time that night and sighs. His mind is overrun by problems and worries. He thought once he found his sister some powers she would be fine, she'd become the energetic teenager she had been before the 'mishap' as she called it. After all the other people who had lost their powers received their vials of liquid superhero back, there were only six remaining. They were a different color to the rest and glowed slightly. It took a short while for them to realise who the powers belonged to.

He winces as he recalls the internal struggle within himself when he found out they belonged to his deceased friend.

Peter had been surprisingly quiet about it, although he's not much else lately, he too has thrown himself into work, taking photos of everything and anything that reminds him of Zaria. Josh was quite impressed that his unwillingly friend was still swinging around New York saving people's lives, even if he isn't as enthusiastic about it.

But as soon as he heard the last remaining part of someone dear to him was found and taken by Josh's sister in less then five minutes he politely excused himself and has avoided Josh ever since. It wasn't like they were the best of friends anyway.

The thing that was troubling Josh though wasn't Peter, but the fact his sisters health is still slowly going downhill.

"Josh?" His sister asks from the study doorway, making him jump. If he didn't know any better he would think Jenny knew he was thinking about her.

"What's wrong Jen?" He asks with a yawn, turning away from his scrapbook, closing it in the process to look worriedly at his sister.

"I have a headache."

"You've had a headache all day Jennifer." He replies sadly, getting up from his chair to feel her forehead for a temperature.

"Yeah but it feels like the headaches I got before… before…" She furrows her brow in confusion like she can't quite think of the words.

"Like before you lost your powers?" Josh finishes quietly trying his hardest not to panic. Jennifer nods instead of speaking and sighs. Josh looks back at the scrapbook, then the time on his watch. "Why don't you go and sit down and I'll put away my books then see if we have any more of that medicine that helps."

Jennifer nods and walks away as Josh wanders in exhaustion back to his desk. He puts the loose newspapers in a pile before noticing his now open scrapbook.

"What…" He thought he had closed it, the sarcastic thought that 'The Shadow' is messing with him flies through his mind before his eyes land on seven words written in red pen across one of the free spaces.

'Josh I need your help - Cutie'


	2. Time

Everything went black.

There was no fading to it, or a flash of my whole life before my eyes just sudden blackness as my head hit the concrete floor for the second time that day.

I never thought I would wake up. Knowing what I know now I wish I never did. Because my whole world changed as I opened my eyes.

A pounding headache at the back of my head was all that welcomed me as I awoke to a blurry world. I remember asking myself, 'How am I alive?' I can't recall whether I uttered the words out loud or not but as I sat up I do recall clearly going to look myself over for cuts and bruises but only seeing the ground.

Of course a sudden thought had attacked me and distracted me from the fact I couldn't see myself. Peter! I looked around wildly but only saw the familiar blurriness of time slowed down, for some reason this was different. Peter was no where to be seen instead there was the broken remains of the glass room with rubble everywhere. Thankfully the building was still standing, which was probably why I was still alive.

Policeman and scientists were scattered around the area, all of them oblivious to me on the floor, but more importantly all of them were moving at half the speed they should have. Usually when I used the time power, everything seemed to be frozen. But if I looked close enough time would still be moving at a slower pace like with the gas in the machine that caused all this. But time hadn't frozen to an almost stop. Instead it was continuous with obvious movement at a slower rate.

I carefully stand up with a groan. I may not be able to see any bruises but I can definitely feel them. I walk to the closest scientist and stand in front of him. I stand still so even if time is slower to me he can still see me. But it was pointless as the man didn't even acknowledge me standing there.

Looking down at my invisible hand I frowned. Am I a ghost? I don't think so because a ghost wouldn't feel like they have the biggest headache possible and pain pretty much everywhere. I willed everything to go back to normal but everything continued at a slower rate and I stayed invisible to the world around me. It truly felt like the end of the world.

That was twelve long months ago. For me anyway. The life around me had only lived through six probably short fun months. Nothing like the boring time that had passed for me with as much action as paint drying outside on a rainy day.

I've been keeping out of everyone's way for a long time, badly I must add. The first time I messed up was about two months ago, which considering I've been staying away from people in general is pretty good.

I was staying in an abandoned apartment trying pretty much anything to get time to resume to normal. This was one of the bad nights, I had stolen someone's Chinese meal for a treat, trying not to think of their confusion as they reached out for their meal in one of the shops assistants hands to see it magically disappear. While trying to brush away the feeling of being a horrible thief, and the fact the empty room had no heating whatsoever, I managed to set the whole apartment on fire with some power I was unaware of.

I don't mean some small flame. I mean the entire apartment became engulfed in roaring flames with the blink of an eye. I managed to drag everybody within the apartment complex out into the streets, saving all of their lives. But of course, burning the building into a unliveable mess wasn't the best thing in the world.

After that I saved a few people, stopped some muggings and people began to notice. The media went insane! Or they seemed to have done. Every new day for them there was another newspaper article about the mysterious 'Shadow'. And Peter was famously the only one to ever get a picture of the mysterious vigilante.

You see, I'm invisible, so I thought it wouldn't hurt if I went to see how Peter was doing now and then. It started with following him to the graveyard, he visited it once a week. He didn't really do much, just took pictures of the scenery and looked horribly sad. As the months went on it got harder and harder to push down the urge to run up and hug him, so I stopped visiting him there. Instead I would tag along as he took photos around New York.

One time he attended a Halloween party. This particular Halloween party seemed quite boring and the props used to scare people were not taking the usual effect. At one point Peter wandered off to get a drink but the way was blocked so I couldn't follow.

All I did was knock over a can of drink. I didn't even realise I did it since sounds are pretty long and dragged out, mixed with the talking it was unnoticeable. That is until I turned around a few minutes later to see everyone looking at it in shock and amusement. I glanced at Peter and saw him talking to a random girl in the kitchen, obviously making all the feelings inside me scream.

So any normal person would think that maybe I should mention I'm still alive. I can't. What if I tell him I'm alive, and time never speeds up again. To give him a hope for something that could be highly unlikely is something I just couldn't do. He has the chance to move on. Not that I like it.

Which is why I decided to have some fun. To distract myself while Peter talked to this new girl.

It probably sounds amazing 'I moved things through the air and freaked everyone out at a Halloween party' but that's not quite how it was. For one thing it was kinda boring until their reactions kicked in. I had to move at the speed of a snail for them to even notice the movement properly.

Eventually though they all looked pretty freaked out as I moved across the room. But when I turned I noticed It wasn't the items I was moving through the air they were looking at, instead they were all intensely staring at me. They still couldn't see me, but for some reason whatever messed up power I had absorbed from that explosion didn't make shadows invisible.

I froze as I saw Peter, holding his camera and snapping a picture that made it to the front page. Well… the front page in a small corner.

Since then I've been extremely careful. More careful then i've been the entire year, and it's no fun at all. I've watched Peter become this unsocial Photographer who only goes out for work and to save people's lives.

I wish I could tell him. To ask him to help me would be amazing. But I can't, and there's only one alternative. Another vigilante almost, but not quite, as smart as Peter.

That's why I'm standing in Josh's study, staring at the picture Peter took of my shadow at the Halloween party while I wait for Josh to notice my message. Hopefully he does notice it, otherwise I'll have to… I don't know put notes up all over his house with the same message. He's my last hope of getting back to normal since it's his sisters power that seems to be the problem. I glance over to see him read the note In shock.

I guess this is the beginning of my last chance.


	3. Draw

Who knew the beginning of my last chance could be so boring. Although technically it's not quite the beginning anymore since it's been a few weeks since the big reveal with Josh and we've gotten nowhere.

Ok that may be a overreaction caused by meagre results. It's not like there haven't been results at all. We've worked out a sufficient communicating system with notepads and paper accompanied with pens spread around Josh's house. I've also become a semi permanent resident of Josh and Jennifers spare bedroom.

Josh decided to tell Jennifer about me pretty early on when he found out where I was staying, which happened to be in a abandoned house with no hot water or heating. She was surprisingly ok with just knowing a invisible shadow was moving around her home with her old powers. When she found out that the person who was using those powers was me, she freaked out. She really is a massive fan of Elemental.

Wow I haven't thought about that name in months, what I wouldn't give to go back to those innocent starting days as a vigilante. Except for the being stabbed thing, I may leave that bit out if I had the chance to go through it again.

I tap a pen on the desk as I watch Josh looking through a microscope, his attention is fixed on the small drop of my blood that could hold the answer to all our problems. Thank goodness he's distracted though, we've spent the last hour arguing about my disappearing every night. He somehow managed to find out his invisible friend vanishes constantly. That's what happens when a twenty four hour day turns into a long, drawn out, forty eight hour day. I still sleep the same amount as if time hasn't changed at all so I am constantly bored, apparently I'm not allowed to wander around with 'The Shadow' on the loose. How he hasn't figured out The Shadow is me I have no idea, but I'm quite glad he hasn't since my powers have been playing up more and more lately.

The other day I was trying to stop this bank robber when suddenly the whole room froze. Everyone In the room was frozen to the floor with the ice wrapping around their ankles. If Josh or anyone finds out its me I will be in so much trouble, several of those innocent people ended up in hospital because of how cold I made it purely because I was using another unknown power. I'm like a unwilling criminal attacking people by mistake. What would Peter think of me?

A long dragged out ringing sound suddenly fills my ears and I wince as Josh responds to the doorbell and goes to see who it is. I hate when he has visitors, I have to be extra careful when I've only just gotten used to acting like a loud human. Maybe the message Jennifer left me this morning is true, she told me she wouldn't be able to handle 12 months alone because she'd turn into a mean unsocial person.

Yeah… she may not have been in a good mood since she wasn't feeling well. But she could still be right about the being alone 12 months thing, I could be that mean unsocial person and not realise it since I have no one to talk to.

I start to doodle on one of my last notes telling Josh about some books I would like to read. I draw little spiders encircling a girl who looks like I did as Elemental with some slight changes. I should use this suit if I ever get out of this time thing.

I hear a long nervous laugh coming from the hallway alerting me to the fact Josh is coming back, and he's not alone. I wonder who could possibly want to visit Josh at all in his home turned science lab.

Nothing quite prepared me for the face I saw. There, standing in Josh's study wearing his cute glasses and looking significantly sadder then normal was my amazing Peter. I freeze in my frantic cleaning of notes to the point he almost sees floating papers. I dash across the room to Josh's desk and grab his phone that's charging on the table. I have a plan to hear their conversation that just might work. I turn on the camera and sit down in one corner of the room and hit record. As I steady the camera in the direction of Josh and Peter, I try to rid my mind of the tempting thought of memorizing Peter's face so just in case I don't see him again, I'll always remember.

"So uh... what are you doing here? It's just I'm kinda busy and I didn't know you were coming." Josh asks quickly, his voice laced with nerves. I stare down at the video playing out on the small phone screen at double the speed so it makes sense to me. I learnt this trick for watching TV, times slowed down but hey! At least whatever made me like this was kind enough to let me watch videos and tv programs.

Peter has already left, looking extremely angry. Josh looked almost as annoyed as he stormed off to his bedroom with no explanation for me as to why the man I love was just arguing with him. At least I can find out by myself by watching the world at a normal speed for me.

"I don't know I was just… I have no idea why I came here." And just like that the sound of Peter's voice fills my ears for the first time in a whole year. This isn't fair, in all the stories and superhero movies we would be together by now and I'd finally be allowed to tell him what I should have a long time ago. "How's Jennifer?"

"She's sick, what's going on Peter? You've tried to avoid me for almost seven months. I've only managed to speak to you three times since Za-" Peter looks up at Josh with a mixture of anger and despair holding his hand up in a stop gesture before speaking.

"Don't say it. I came here because I needed someone to talk to. Not because I wanted to be reminded about…" He sighs and seems to compose himself. My heart is beating so fast, does he not want to remember me? Is it to painful? Why can't I be normal. I wish I could just tell him I'm alive. "I was going to ask about The Shadow. Last time I saw you, you said you were going to investigate him and I thought I could see what you had come up with."

Why does everyone assume The Shadow is a guy? It does make me smile though. I cross my fingers and hope Josh hasn't found anything.

"I have been extremely busy, but I managed to find out this shadow person likes sticking to a few certain areas. Weirdly enough-" Josh grabs a map off the desk and points to a few areas for Peter to take notice in. "Here and here, the area I live in, and this large area on the other side of town."

Peter stares at the map for a long time, hopefully he doesn't notice that one of the shadows favorite places includes the coffee shop we used to hang out in and the Bank where we first met.

"Why the sudden change in interest?" Josh questions genuinely intrigued in what the answer could be.

"I spotted the Shadow once. I'm kinda intrigued as to why some vigilante with amazing powers would purposefully scare people at a Halloween party, and also yesterday I made it to this bank being robbed to find the whole room frozen so I thought…" Peter stops in his tracks and stares at something on Josh's desk. "Why on earth do you have a picture of Ria surrounded by Spiders!"

So that's why he stormed off annoyed! Oops…

(An actual chapter oh wow! So I completely didn't forget that I was supposed to write for my stories. I was actually writing a new story and realised that maybe, just maybe I should update my other ones first. So there you go! And Peter and Zaria were in the same room! Amazing! Anyway guys see you next chapter and I hope you enjoyed this.) ((Btw there's a doctor who fanfic in the works just in case any of you are interested))


	4. Dream

Pain. That's all I felt as I opened my eyes and saw what looked like a dream world. I was sitting on the floor in the middle of Darius' abandoned car shop where all of this started. Feeling disoriented and dizzy I shakily stand and take in my surroundings. How do I know this is a dream? I've never been able to pick my dreams before.

My vision is blurry but I realise that the car shop looks just like it did when I first woke up after the explosion. But weirdly enough it seems like everything around the building doesn't exist. I look out the window to see a blinding bright white light filling my blurry vision. I have no idea whats going on, i hardly ever have dreams like this. Turning away from the window I spot a woman facing away from me. I walk closer to her and tilt my head. Why does this dream feel so real?

"Hello? Who are you?… Please tell me what's going on?"" The woman turns around to face me and suddenly it's like I'm looking at myself in a mirror. Standing in front of me, complete with the old Elemental suit, is me. She grins slyly and steps closer.

"So that's what I look like now. Who knew! Well… it could be worse." Other me says cruelly. How dare she! I? This is so confusing.

"Who are you?" I ask again, genuinely astounded and kinda stuttery since I haven't spoken to anyone in over a year.

"I'm you! Well, now I am. I'm a little add on." She runs her hand through her hair and smiles like she has a secret. "You see it all started here, in this building. Every single one of your problems originated with that explosion. Including a very big one. One of those little people your darling brother took powers from wasn't a young teenager. She was a psychopath with some pretty cool powers and one very evil alter ego. I guess you inherited it."

All this time I knew I would have other people's powers, but I never thought I'd get a power that would genuinely frighten me. As she steps closer with a ever increasing evil glare, I can't help but step back and bite my lip nervously.

"I'm the one messing around with your powers. I'm the one making sure that you can't go back to normal time." She smirks and walks away to one corner of the room. "But before you start yelling at me or whatever, if I hadn't slowed down time you'd be dead."

"And you thought that this would be better? A life where I can't speak to anyone?" I finally reply, I can feel the anger fill my mind and almost take over as every word and feeling I've kept inside explodes towards the person in front of me.

"You'd prefer to die? I was gonna give you an offer you can't refuse, for things to go back to normal. But if you want to die then I can…"

"Shut up!" I yell, covering my ears, not being able to take her words any more. The whole room falls silent as the other me rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.

"Wow, I think the whole world heard that. You're friends will probably come running so we don't have much time." I hear a voice somewhere nearby but it sounds faded and echos around my mind before the other me speaks again "Let's try two weeks of normal time."

I look at her in shock, is she giving me two whole weeks of being a human being again? Of having conversations? Of possibly being with Peter?

"But there's a catch." Of course there is, how could there not be a catch. "I need you to steal a few things. If you do, you'll get another two weeks. Sound good?"

Uh oh.

"Zaria? Wake up!" Josh shouts, shaking me awake roughly. I open my eyes and see the clearest view I've ever seen. I blink, half expecting to wake up for real, with time back to being slow. But this is no dream, I know that for sure.

"You… you called me Zaria, you never call me that." I joke, the first words I've said in such a long time.

"I heard you yell and I came running! You were having a nightmare and I could see you and… Are you ok?" He says hurriedly, I can clearly hear the panic in his voice so I smile reassuringly.

"I'm fine. Really." I get off the bed and leave him sitting there to look in the mirror. My hair is so long now, as I already knew, but the last three inches is still a bright red color. It's so strange to actually be visible, to see my hands and to feel… normal again. A dull headache is there in the back of my head but if that means I'm normal again that's perfectly fine with me. Although, do I really want to steal the things she asked me to? She didn't even tell me but in my thoughts are several chemicals, dozens in fact, that can only be found in places like Oscorp.

Is it really worth stealing, feeling all that guilt, just for Peter? He would never talk to me again if he found out! But if it's for us… oh! Why are things never simple.

(Sorry I've been busy. Hope you enjoy the beginning of the plot. I was thinking about makings this, I don't know… the Mental series and writing one last book after this one. Saying that, this one has only just started. Anyway! Enjoy!)


	5. Life

Stepping out into the cold majestic world for the first time with everything at the right speed was like stepping into a whirlwind of noise and movement becoming increasingly more and more unbearable. I stood at the exit to Josh's apartment as he waited for me to adjust, to take in the crazy, bewildering world around me.

If it wasn't for the door I was leaning on I'm sure I would have collapsed down the few steps leading to the road then and there.

Imagine that feeling you get when you step out of freezing temperatures into a hot summers day. Or when you run hot water over your cold hand, or maybe listening to loud music after silence. That is the sensation I'm feeling right now

If I had to describe it in only one word, I would say its horrible.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Josh asks me for the fourth time looking more and more worried with each question. "We can sit inside and.. just talk or something if you want. I don't want you to become overwhelmed."

"Already overwhelmed." I groan quietly, my ever present headache increasing as each second passes. I place a hand over my eyes to stop the rapid movements of life around me for a second and after steadying my now shaky breath I continue speaking. "Josh, relax. I have to go back to life eventually. I don't want to just waste my precious moments of normal time just… sitting."

"I'm not talking about a few minutes, I'm talking about you resting, getting used to everything again. You've spent so long with time at a slower rate, give your senses some time to catch up." He places his hand on my shoulder and I instantly flinch away, I give him a nervous smile to reassure him but he doesn't seem to accept in his eyes that I'm ok.

"Sorry Josh, but I need some clothes, maybe a haircut. And I want to get some supplies for a new suit." I walk down the steps and try to pretend the speed of things isn't getting to me. "That isn't going to happen if I sit around home. Resting."

"Why do you need a new suit? You are not in any way prepared to fight crime especially with Spi-" I freeze as he forms the beginning of that word. Peter. I still haven't decided whether I should tell him or not. I keep asking myself the same questions and never produce any answers. Would he be happy for me to tell him I'm alive, and then possibly disappear again? Would he be completely ok with me stealing several items from important science facilities and labs to help whatever the evil version of me wants?

'Call me Zilla' I turn on the spot as I hear a voice almost completely identical to the voice I hear on recordings of myself. My voice. The evil me. 'Yeah I know you can hear me. But you can't keep using "The Evil Me", or "The Evil Version". It's just boring. I need a name.'

I notice Josh give me a strange look as he follows next to me, like he's trying to determine whether I'm ok are actually, of which I am neither. I glance at the ground as we begin to make our way to the nearest clothes store and attempt to make no further conversation.

What kind of name is Zilla? It sounds…

'Awesome? Yes I know. Actually I thought it was kinda cute. Everybody's been calling you "The Shadow" so I found a name in your memories that meant exactly that.' Zilla says smugly with no hint of kindness in her voice.

Of course! My mother's name was Zilla. Did she tell me when I was young the definition of her name? I can't remember but she must have told me at some point. Of course an evil voice in my head would pick my mother's name to haunt me.

'I'm not haunting you I'm.. hmm I just want a new body, preferably not your one its… endured to much physical and emotional trauma. I would say… I'm using you, instead. '

Wait so.. The plan is I steal the things Zilla wants, And then after all that I'll probably have to kidnap someone and force the voice and it's very being into that person's body? No. That is not happening.

'Then be stuck with time slowed down forever if you like." Zilla replies moments before the scenery around me starts to shimmer and halt just like I remember my time power used to do all that time ago.

"No!" I shout in a loud voice, things go back to normal as Josh hears my shout and looks at me with worry and confusion.

"Cutie? Are you ok? Is it to much? We can go back.." He hugs me as tears start to form in the corners of my eyes. Terror and shock attacking me in waves as I shake my head and step back from him to wipe the tears away.

"I'm fine... I don't know what just happened, I'm sorry.." I sigh, willing that somehow I'm dreaming. Dreaming a really in depth dream that stretches over a time span of over a year. Sadly this is all real and no matter how much I wish things could be different, I'm going to have to accept the obvious.

Becoming a thief, a criminal, seems to be in my future, in my best interests. Following Zilla's commands seems to be the only way to stop time from slowing again.

Yeah ok I really need to start finding a silver lining in my predicament, this is getting ridiculous.

(Hello readers who read these note things! I'm writing again! I apologize for this chapter in advance if it is poorly written, or too short ((or has taken centuries to be written)). I have a storyline that keeps writing me into corners. If you don't completely understand what is happening please feel free to mention it. From now on the sentences with 'these' around them is Zilla and Zaria's replies will be their own paragraphs. Enjoy, leave a comment if you want and have a fantastic week. :)


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